


What is death for if not regrets?

by sarpndo



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Haytham dies, Haytham has some thoughts before he dies, I'm just sad about this man ok, he's such an interesting character, the Kenways deserved better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:33:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23140246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarpndo/pseuds/sarpndo
Summary: In the moments before death, they say your life flashes before your eyes. Perhaps it is only because your last thoughts are of regret. What might have been at any moment in time.Haytham Kenway has a lot of regrets.
Relationships: Haytham Kenway & Ratonhnhaké:ton | Connor, Kaniehtí:io | Ziio/Haytham Kenway
Comments: 10
Kudos: 53





	What is death for if not regrets?

Haytham Kenway is very nearly an old man when he dies.

Very nearly because he is still strong and has all of his wits and skills.

But the one who kills him is a blindspot, and has been since he found out who he was.

It is obvious to anyone looking. Despite his coloration, so similar to his mother, the boy is the spitting image of him. It is almost like looking into a mirror.

As his life fades, though he insists otherwise to the boy - Connor, an English name. What did his mother call him? - he wonders what it might have been like if he hadn't driven Ziio away.

Would Connor have joined the Templars?

Would he have abandoned them?

Would Ziio still be alive?

Would he?

It doesn't do to dwell on the past, or on regrets, but what is death for, if not regrets?

Haytham watches his son's face and wishes for a moment that he could have been there. Could have held him, fresh and warm from the womb. Could have guided those first steps as young legs learned to move.

Perhaps he could have raised Connor the right way. Brought him up into the Templars. Perhaps they might have perfected the world together.

Perhaps he might have turned his back on the Templars.

The thought is preposterous, but looking at Connor's face, so like his own, yet sharing the same fire Ziio had, he thinks perhaps he might have. For them.

"I'm almost proud of you," he says. But he means that Connor is the kind of man he would hope to have as a son. The kind of son he always wanted to be to his father, long ago, when he had one.

"I should have killed you," he says, but what he means is that Connor is his greatest weakness. For love is weakness, no matter what the stories say.

Haytham sighs his last breath. Regrets change nothing and he does not regret his choices, no matter how they end in this moment.

Connor will take care of the world, even in his naïve adherence to that foolish idealistic Creed.

Perhaps that will be enough.


End file.
